Cleaning tank closure apparatus



Aug. 28, 1962 G. L. RICE CLEANING TANK cLosURE APPARATUS Filed May 11,1959 YUnited States Patent O This invention relates generally toimprovements in the construction of cleaning tanks in which liquid issubjected to agitation so as to improve Iits cleansing eiliciency eofthe liquid upon its contact with soils to be removed from parts insertedwithin a cleaning zone of the receptacle or tank. More specifically, theinvention concerns the improved construction of baille means kmovableinto and out 'of overlying relation with the interior cleaning zone ofthe receptacle for conning agitated liquid therein.

The present invention has for its major object the f 3 interior Zone 14for receiving articles to be cleansed.

provision of novel baille means operable, when in closed positionoverlying the interior zone of the receptacle, to conilne agitated-liquid therein and also to pass the cleansing liquid below the baillemeans, as -Well as liquid over- ICC upwardly relative thereto about anaxis parallel to the iirst panel axis.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as thedetails of an illustrative embodiment Will be more `fully understoodfrom the following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a top plan view of the cleaning receptacle liaving theimproved baille means incorporated therewith, and in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing the baille v panel assembliesin collapsed condition at opposite `sides lying the baille means,through perforations in the baille i 'cleansed therein.

In carrying out these purposes, the invention broadly contemplates theuse of a baille panel assembly movable into overlying covering relationwith the interior zone of "the receptacle for conining agitated liquidtherein, the `panel-s in the assembly extending, when in open position,

in folded together collapsed relation at the receptacle side wherebyarticles to be cleansed may then be placed down- -wardly into thecleaning zone. Also, means are provided i for moving the baille panelassembly toward and away from the side of the receptacle and out of andinto cover- -ing relation with the interior zone thereof.

rIlhus, when in open position the baille panel assembly is -collapsedand folded at the inside of the receptacle, yet

`out of the way of article insertion and Withdrawal into and out of thereceptacle. Further, the panel assembly does not overhang the exteriorof the receptacle to an undesirable extent, such as would cause thecleaning unit 'to occupy excessive space `which is otherwise useful.

Other objects and advantages of the invention include the provision of apair of baille panel assemblies and hinge 'means interconnecting thepanels in each assembly to fold together upwardlyin response to movementof the panel assemblies toward opposite sides of the receptacle, the

panels in the assemblies extending substantially vertically in foldedtogether and collapsed relation at opposite sides of the receptacle whenin open position. Means for moving the baille panel assembly includes anactuator and a follower connected with the assembly and movabletransversely by the actuator toward and away from the receptacle side.Preferably, each assembly includes two panels, one of which is mounted:to pivot upwardly about afhorizontal axis adjacent the inner side ofthe receptacle, the other panel being mounted by the follower to pivotof the receptacle.

Referring iirst to FIGS. l and 2, the cleansing apparatus 10 includes anupright tank 11 which has front and rear walls 12, and opposite sidewalls 13 together forming an Typically, such articles may comprise jet`engine parts received downwardly Iinto the cleansing zone 14, in aparts basket not shown. The latter seats on a -grating 17 typicallyhaving egg-crate design and consisting of two sets of integral panelsextending vertically and at right angles to one another to form spaces18 therebetween into 'which soils removed from the parts are adapted tosettle out of the path of -liquid circulation in the receptacle.

The opposite walls 12 of the tank have recesses 19 formed therein whichopen transversely and divergently toward the cleansing Zone 14. Each ofthe recesses is preferably in the form of a truncated pyramid havingfour divergent sides, a vertically spaced pair 20 of which divergerespectively toward the top and bottom of the receptacle. Similarly, ahorizontally spaced pair 21 of the recess sides diverge respectivelytoward the oppositesides 41? of the receptacle, and it will beunderstood that as a result of this recess configuration the liquid iscirculated in the tank in loops which merge in the central regions ofthe cleansing zone, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2. Such liquidcirculation is preferably eifected Iby a hydro dynamically designed andreversible thrust propeller 22, typically a three blade screw propeller,operable to displace the `bulk of the liquid therethrough andalternately in axially opposite directions as distinguished from theaction of a centrifugal impeller which throws the bulk'of the liquidradially therefrom during impeller rotation and, moreover, is notreversible to displace liquid in opposite directions as desired. Eachpropeller is attached to a horizontally extending shaft 23 projectingthrough the wall 12 at its ilat square head or base 24 from whichdiverge the upwardly and downwardly ilared wall poritions 20 and thehorizontally ilared portions Z1 of the receptacle wall 12. Attached tothe -base 24 is the housing 28 of an electric motor, which is preferablyreversible so that the propeller 22 may be `driven `in oppositedirections. Each of these motors maybe of the induction type, so that bychanging the polarity of the motor or the phase relationship of theapplied current a reversal in the direction of the drive transmitted tothe propeller may be secured. Current is applied to each motor throughswitching mechanism indicated at which is operable to reverse thedirection of drive transmission to the propellers from the motors, forpurposes to be described. A master control switch is shown at 130.

Typical cleansing liquids consist of trichloroethylene, cyclohexane, andsolutions of detergents, or acids or bases, such as strong causticsolutions. Representative soils o-n parts such as bearings, shafts,compressor blades, sleeves and the like include greases, oils, dust,tar, sludge, rust, resin, wax, carbon, lapping and builing compounds,and steel particles.

The tank or receptacle 11 has a sloping bottom 30 tapering downwardlyand away from the grating 17 to form a llow space 31 within whichcollected soils may llow laterally to the normally closed outlet 32.Liquid is typically supplied to the tank through an inlet 33 in wall 13.

Coming now to the construction of the pair of baille panel assembliespreviously mentioned, each of these is generally shown at 34 to includetwo panels 35 hinged together at 36 along a horizontal axis at the edgesof the panels, so that when in closed position the panel assembliescollectively extend substantially horizontally, overlying and coveringthe interior zone of the receptacle. In this coniiguration, each of thepanels overlies approximately one quarter of the upwardly projected areaof the cleansing zone 14, and acting together the closed panels conilneagitated liquid within that zone.

The outer panel 35 in each assembly 34 is connected `as by hinge means37 with the upward extension of the end wall 12 of the receptacle, thehinge accommodating upward pivoting of the panel about an axis generallyparallel to the axis 36. Thus, the panels in each assembly may becollapsed to extend substantially vertically in folded together relationat the inner side of the receptacle wall 12, as shown in FIG. 3,:allowing downward insertion and upward removal of parts into and fromthe cleaning zone 14.

The means for moving each panel assembly 34 toward and away from thereceptacle side wall includes an actuator 40 comprising a worm gearextending transversely in the direction of assembly movement, and afollower 41 connected with the actuator panel in each assembly andmovable transversely toward and away from the side of the receptacle.The follower 41 is mounted on the worm gear in threaded relationtherewith to `be movable thereby, and is also connected to the actuatorpanel 35 by hinge 42, the axis of which extends parallel to the axis 36.Rotary drive is transmitted to the worm gear 40 as by a suitableelectric motor and drive mechanism generally indicated `at 43.

The baille panel assemblies are guided in relation to the opposite side13 of the receptacle by channeled ways 44, which are provided to extendgenerally parallel to the worm gear 40 and at the inner sides of thereceptacle walls 13, `for reception of an end extensions of the hinges42 carried by the panels.

'I'he baille assemblies are of the leaking type; that is, they willpermit upward escape of pressure from the cleansing zone. Therefore,should steam rform, it will escape upwardly through the baille panelassemblies, while lat the same time the latter conilne the agitatedliquid within the tank. Furthermore, the baille panel assemblies when inclosed position, as seen in FIGS. l and 2, may be used for separatingthe liquid in the cleansing zone from sealing liquid in the region 50above the baille panel assemblies. Corrosion inhibitors such aspotassium `chromate in the liquid seal, which typically comprises water,are adapted to ilow downwardly through the assemblies into the cleansingsolution, there being suillcient restricted communication between thelatter and the liquid seal to permit such slow washing of the corrosioninhibitors into the cleansing solution. Leakage through the baille panelassemblies will occur at ythe locations of the two hinges 36 and 37 andalso at the junctures ofthe two baille panel assemblies, as indicated byline 51.

I claim:

1. In combination with an upright receptacle for receiving 'articles tobe cleansed by liquid within an interior zone of the receptacle andmeans within a receptacle side recess for agitating said cleansingliquid, said receptacle having a rectangular opening in a horizontalplane above the level of said agitating means, a baille panel assemblyextensible within said opening into substantially horizontal overlyingand covering relation with ythe interior zone of the receptacle forconfining said agitated liquid therein, said assembly including hingemeans interconnecting panels to fold together upwardly thereby liftingthe hinge means in response to movement of the assembly toward a firstupright wall of the receptacle dellning one side of the receptaclerectangular opening, the panels extending substantially vertically infolded-together relation so as to be conllned adjacent said upright walland within a vertical projection of the opening, and means for movingsaid assembly transversely toward and' away from said receptacle walland out of and into covering relation with said zone, said means beingoutside said interior zone of the receptacle and the entire extent ofsaid means within said receptacle being confined adjacent a secondupright wall extent of the receptacle deilning a second side of thereceptacle rectangular opening normal to said one side of said opening,whereby articles to be cleansed may be placed downwardly through saidopening and into said interior zone and removed upwardly therefromwithout interference from either said folded panels or said means, theedges of the panels when extended into covering relation with thereceptacle interior defining leakage paths for ilow of liquid from abovethe panels downwardly into said interior zone.

2. The invention as dellned in claim l in which the extent of said meanswithin said receptacle includes a screw extending axially transverselyin the direction of baille panel assembly toward and away from said rstwall, said assembly including a follower mounted on said screw, saidmeans also including a drive outside the receptacle for rotating thescrew thereby to bodily advance said follower therealong in saidtransverse direction.

3. In combination Iwith an upright receptacle for receiving articles tobe cleansed by liquid .within an interior zone of the receptacle andmeans within 4receptacle side recesses for agitating said cleansingliquid, said receptacle having a rectangular opening in a horizontalplane above the level of said agitating means, a pair of baille panelassemblies extensible toward one another within said opening into`subst-antially horizontal overlying and covering relation with theinterior zone of the receptacle for conllning said agitated liquidtherein, said assemblies including hinge means interconnecting thepanels in each assembly to fold together upwardly thereby lifting thehinge means in response to movement of the respective assemblies towardfirst and second upright walls of the receptacle defining opposite sidesof the receptacle rectangular opening, the panels extendingsubstantially vertically in folded-together relation so as to beeverywhere confined adjacent said iirst and second upright walls andwithin a vertical projection of said opening, and means for moving saidassemblies transversely toward and away from said receptacle walls andout of and into covering relation with said zone, said means beingoutside said interior zone of the receptacle and the entire extent ofsaid means within said receptacle being conned adjacent upright wallextent of the receptacle delining a third side of the receptacle openingnormal to said opposite sides of said opening, whereby articles to becleansed may be placed downwardly through said opening and into saidinterior zone and removed upwardly therefrom without interference fromeither said folded panel or said means, the edges of the panels whenextended into covering relation with the receptacle interior deningleakage paths for flow of liquid from above the panels downwardly intosaid interior zone.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which the extent of said meanswithin said receptacle includes a screw extending axially transverselyin the direction of baie panel assembly movement toward and away fromsaid receptacle opposite sides, said assemblies including followersmounted on said screw, said means also including a drive outside thereceptacle for rotating the screw thereby to bodily advance saidfollowers simultaneously in opposite directions therealong, andtransverse ways extending parallel said screw adjacent the third andfourth sides of the receptacle opening and interlitting said assembliesfor guiding said assemblies during rotation of the screw.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS HoytJan. 28, Scott June 30, Walker July 31, Green Sept. 16, Westby Oct. 14,Riton July 1, Griin `Tuly 26, Armstrong Sept. 16, Post Apr. 18, NorthrupJune 10,

